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so ive bought this rx8 for 500 euro...For nothing 2004
65.000miles...previous owner complaining of hot start problem.
ive put a new battery in it ....engine spinning faster...starting a lot better..but rpms dipping to the point it cuts out once warm.
on all the websites for the rx8 the minimum v
compression for the rotors seams to be 75 psi.
did a test today. ..
front .cold...52.52.52
rear cold ....60.60.60.
front trailing hot.51.51.51.
front leading hot.51.51.51
rear trailing hot 58.58.58.
rear leading hot 58.58.58.
i think its clear that the engine isn't completely gone..but its not much left...apex seals not destroyed.
does anyone think a decarbon would bring back compression or just ruin the oxygen sensors
A de-carbon treatment can help with compression, but only if the compression loss is due to seal springs being gunked up, and only if you are lucky enough to dislodge enough of that gunk to free the springs in the process. It's a long shot, but who knows?
Last edited by Steve Dallas; 10-27-2016 at 10:21 PM.
A de-carbon treatment can help with compression, but only if the compression loss is due to seal springs being gunked up, and if you are lucky enough to dislodge enough of that gunk in the process. It's a long shot, but who knows?
what are the chances the apex seals are gunked up....The last owner drove it 6 miles to work. ..and didn't drive it hard much...had there been many owners on this site who have had success with the decarbon trick u sticking apex seals and bringing back compression
A decarbon might get you a 2-3 psi, but it won't get you to 100. Even 75 is failing, so you have a long way to go to a healthy engine. Surprised it even runs 52!
You may need multiple decarbs punctuated by running the engine VERY hard to notice a difference. But by all means, try that before investing in a new engine.
Those numbers are very low, they are down in the "all apex seals stuck" category. If they are all stuck in, then it is likely there is not a whole lot of wear on the housings, and right now you are looking at the least expensive rebuild you will ever see. With such a small investment in the car, see what you can get a rebuild for, and go from there. If you start knocking things loose, you never know what will come lose, and where it will go.
Where are you in Europe? Some folks may be able to point out a decent shop close to you. If the rebuild is too much, then yeah, soak that baby in de-carbon. If you really want to work at it, you can see the seals through the leading plug hole, spray each one and try to wiggle it. Be VERY careful of the plug threads.
Those numbers are very low, they are down in the "all apex seals stuck" category. If they are all stuck in, then it is likely there is not a whole lot of wear on the housings, and right now you are looking at the least expensive rebuild you will ever see. With such a small investment in the car, see what you can get a rebuild for, and go from there. If you start knocking things loose, you never know what will come lose, and where it will go.
Where are you in Europe? Some folks may be able to point out a decent shop close to you. If the rebuild is too much, then yeah, soak that baby in de-carbon. If you really want to work at it, you can see the seals through the leading plug hole, spray each one and try to wiggle it. Be VERY careful of the plug threads.
there's two speacilists within 100 miles of my house. ..They charge about 2500 for a rebuild. .they are **** hot as well i believe ..
but i sort of want to have a go at it myself for the challenge. ..im an engineer by trade...i usually work on ovens worth over 25.000 and i am extremely familiar with engines ,cars and strip downs..it wouldn't be the first time an engine has been in bits in the garden.granted its a rotary...but im confident i can do it. .its not the monetary value..i want to be able to say ive a rebuilt a rotary engine. ..im not buying anything until i see the rotor housing. ..the engine is very smooth before it heats up so im guessing its ok...but i won't know for sure until i get it out...
thats a great idea to have a look at the rotor tips through the spark plug holes before i pull it apart...
ill need someone to turn the engine by hand and line up the tips..while i watch through the spark plug holes.maybe a long nose pliers to see if the tips are stuck or would that potentially damage the tips/consequentially score the rotor housing. i have a surgeons clamp for intricate work i could use that.
It would be some achievment to unstick the tips and get back compression on the cheap...lovely but im not hopeful...
good advice tho thanks dude
Suppose someone came to you at your work and said "hey this 25.000 Euro oven runs pretty smooth, so it's probably mostly fine, I'll just give it a tweak with needle-nose pliers, wouldn't that be a quick fix". What would you tell them?
The problem isn't the carbon you can see, it's the carbon you can't see under the apex seal. That's the carbon you want to get out, and it's what accumulates in low-throttle conditions. It's a cold spot, combustion gases get in there and condense out goop. High detergent pre-mix JASO FD oils help mitigate the accumulation, in theory, with continuous use, but if you're looking for a fix you need something stronger like automatic transmission fluid and acetone, and a good, long, and repeated soak.
But keep in mind that once the apex seal is slightly askew, the pressure against the housing is spread over a smaller area so both the seal and the housing begin to erode, no amount of cleaning will fix that.
if i did a quick fix on a corporate oven i would be out of the job...and so would my customers. ..point taken...
I've heard scary stories about auto gear oil and rotarys...like you said it may fix or destroy...
considering I (may) have two good rotors and housings its not worth ******* them up on a cheap fix...
ill most likely rebuild with an atkins kit and genuine mazda apex seals.
oh and yes its 2500 euro here for a quality rebuild. ..hence why people selling a car with a rebuilt engine are looking 3-4k
shadow rotary and a guy called eddie doyle are the pros in Dublin. with a knackered engine the cars are only worth the price of a budget tv...in fact they are all getting broken and scrapped here ..terrible shame..ive saved mine from the crusher i think
As cool as MOT is in theory... it does kill some non-worthy vehicles. If I had the cash (and a country that would let me) I'd be bringing in RX8's and cool **** by the truckload. Most of them I see sell for dirt cheap.
As cool as MOT is in theory... it does kill some non-worthy vehicles. If I had the cash (and a country that would let me) I'd be bringing in RX8's and cool **** by the truckload. Most of them I see sell for dirt cheap.
a lot of those low compression rx8s are going to end up in scrapyards..as most people and mechanics are afraid of the rotary engine...no one is prepared to fix them.i know personally a lot of very experienced mechanics...4 very accomplished heavy diesel mechanics...and not one of them will touch a rotary.
in time i can see rx8s becoming rare
a lot of those low compression rx8s are going to end up in scrapyards..as most people and mechanics are afraid of the rotary engine...no one is prepared to fix them.i know personally a lot of very experienced mechanics...4 very accomplished heavy diesel mechanics...and not one of them will touch a rotary.
in time i can see rx8s becoming rare
...plus a new rule came in here in Ireland. ..Most insurance companies won't insure cars over 14 years old...
and you can't get classic unless its an accepted classsic...ie mgb ..and it has to be at least 20 years old
..thats going put a lot of cool cars off the road. all the 98 supras and integras and skylines
...plus a new rule came in here in Ireland. ..Most insurance companies won't insure cars over 14 years old...
and you can't get classic unless its an accepted classsic...ie mgb ..and it has to be at least 20 years old
..thats going put a lot of cool cars off the road. all the 98 supras and integras and skylines
WHAT?! That is crazy.
On the bright side, Canada allows import of right hand drive cars older than 14 years. I sense a business opportunity.
Just thought id let you all know car is rebuilt and running like a swiss watch..Some of you know i
Saved a heap of money pulling the engine myself Not easy getting an engine hoist under such a low car
had a few teething problems. ..
seized brakes...omp malfunction because of a water leak.
but shes good to go...
its not show room by any means but **** does it go. .
Last edited by dalippy; 10-01-2017 at 04:59 PM.
Reason: spelling
Good news, thanks for the update.
Did you rebuild it?
no i didn't rebuild the engine core...believe it or not it would have cost me more in parts at retail prices to do it myself than what i paid a speaclist to rebuild it
he gets genuine mazda parts at wholesale prices so that the price you pay him is mostly labour.
i was dissapointed to not build it myself but it made sense with a years warranty to get it built. .
The speaclist said that the bearings were just about knackered as well...and i don't have the tools to replace them
10-26-2016, 11:11 AM
